The Call formed in Santa Cruz in 1980 by vocalist/guitarist Michael Been, Scott Musick, and Tom Ferrier. Been and Musick were originally from Oklahoma. Beginning with their self-titled debut in 1982, the band went on to produce a total of 10 albums by 2000.

The eponymous premiere album was recorded in England, and Michael Been later recalled that the band was in an exploratory phase at this point. Been noted in a 1988 interview, "The Call was a compassionate album, but it probably came out as anger." Peter Gabriel liked the band so much that he asked them to open for him during his 1982 "Shock the Monkey" tour.

The next album, Modern Romans, was notable for its political content. Been later stated, "There was a great deal happening politically - Grenada, Lebanon, or the government saying the Russians are evil and the Russian government probably saying the same about us. That kind of thinking inspired me to write the last lines of 'Walls Came Down'."

This was followed by Scene Beyond Dreams. Been has referred to it as The Call's "metaphysical" album. With a strong poetic sense to the lyrics and a change in instrumentation, the change in sound is notable. Garth Hudson of The Band played keyboards on these first three records.

Reconciled was recorded during the summer of 1985. At this point, the band had not had a recording contract for two years, due to what Been describes as "legal bickering" between The Call's former record label and their management company. However, once the deal was signed with Elektra Records, the band resumed playing and produced their most commercially successful album to date. Peter Gabriel, Simple Minds's Jim Kerr, and Hudson and former Band mate Robbie Robertson all guested the album which was released in 1986. Several tracks from the album became hits on the Mainstream Rock Chart, and one of these tracks, "I Still Believe" was re-recorded by Tim Capello, Russ Taff and appears on the soundtracks of the 1986 Movie The Whoopee Boys and the 1987 movie The Lost Boys.

Next came the band's 1987 release Into The Woods, which Been has referred to as his favorite album.

In 1989 they released Let the Day Begin, whose title track reached #1 on the US Mainstream Rock chart. Red Moon, which included background vocals by U2's Bono, was released in 1990.

During the next few years, Been branched out creatively. He participated in composing and performing the music to Paul Schrader's 1992 film Light Sleeper. The film also features two of his songs, To Feel This Way and World On Fire. In 1994, he recorded a solo album, On the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough

In 1996, Warner Bros. Records. released The Best of The Call, which featured a selection of old favorites and few new songs. Two of the songs, Us and To Feel This Way, were different versions of tracks later to be seen on Been’s solo album, and in the case of "To Feel This Way", the "Light Sleeper" soundtrack as well.

In 1997 To Heaven and Back, was released by Fingerprint Records, followed by a live album, Live Under the Red Moon, in 2000.

The band is not currently touring. The band had a fan club called "Notified" and the information contained in their newsletters is in the file section of the Yahoo! groups list.

Al Gore used "Let The Day Begin" as his campaign song in the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election and Tom Vilsack used it as his song during his brief 2008 U.S. Presidential Election campaign.

Michael Been has appeared as a sideman in bands fronted by actor Harry Dean Stanton; Stanton having played harmonica on "Let The Day Begin" track "For Love". He played the apostle John in Martin Scorsese's 1988 feature film The Last Temptation of Christ and has some film credits.

Been's son, Robert Levon Been, is the frontman for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Michael Been is heavily involved in BRMC, as their sound engineer, and can be found on tour with them.

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The Golden Palominos were an American musical group headed by drummer and composer Anton Fier, first formed in 1981. Aside from Fier, the Palominos membership was wildly elastic, with only bassist Bill Laswell and guitarist Nicky Skopelitis appearing on every album.

While the Palominos' records usually featured a core set of musicians and a certain emotional continuity throughout the bulk of an album, various guest appearances would result in stylistic changes from track to track.

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The Birthday Party (originally known as The Boys Next Door) were an Australian post-punk group, active from 1976 to 1983.

Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career. Though often indirect, their influence has been far-reaching, and have been called one of "the darkest and most challenging post-punk groups to emerge in the early '80s." [1] While their early music was sometimes classified as gothic rock, the band disdained the term, and their sound was very different from most goth music, closer to No Wave. However, the Birthday Party did have an influence on deathrock, a genre related to gothic rock.

Despite their limited commercial success, the creative core of the Birthday Party have gone on to acclaimed careers: singer and songwriter Nick Cave, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Mick Harvey, and singer, songwriter and guitarist Rowland S. Howard.

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David Lynn Thomas (born 1953 in Miami, Florida) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician.

He was one of the founding members of the short-lived protopunkers Rocket From The Tombs (1974-1975), where he went by the name of Crocus Behemoth, and of punk group Pere Ubu (1975 - present, intermittently). He has also released several solo albums. Though primarily a singer, he sometimes plays melodeon, trombone, guitar or other instruments.

Thomas has described his artistic focus as being the "gestalt of culture, geography and sound". [1] Common themes crop up throughout much of his work, such as the US Interstate Highway system, images of roadside or "junk" tourist culture, Brian Wilson, AM Radio, and many others.

Something of a cult figure, Thomas's high pitched voice is one of the most distinctive in rock music; Emerson Dameron memorably described Thomas's singing as "James Stewart trapped in an oboe"[2], while Greil Marcus writes that "Mr Thomas's voice is that of a man muttering in a crowd. You think he's talking to himself until you realize he's talking to you."

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The Danse Society were a positive punk group from Barnsley, England, active from 1981 to 1987. They achieved moderate fame during their short career. Their line-up was: Steve Rawlings (voice), Paul Nash (guitar), Lyndon Scarfe (keyboards), Tim Wright (bass) and Paul Gilmartin (drums).

In 1980 they recorded and released their first 12" single, "Clock", on their own newly-formed record label, Society Records.

Their most well known album, Heaven is Waiting, was released in December 1983 by Arista. The album contained a cover of The Rolling Stones song, "2000 Light Years from Home", also edited in 1984 as 12" single and as a limited edition double single. In 1986, the other band members left to form Johnny In The Clouds, leaving Rawlings to carry on as Danse Society International for an album Looking Through, reappearing in 1987 simply as Society with a single, "Saturn Girl".[1]

After 1987, Rawlings continued to pursue his path in music with the electronic dance music act, Meridian Dream.

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The Fall are an English post-punk group, formed in Prestwich, Greater Manchester in 1976. The group has existed in some form ever since, and is essentially built around its founder and only constant member Mark E. Smith. First associated with the punk movement of the late 1970s, the group's music has gone through several stylistic changes over the years. However, The Fall's music is often characterised by repetition, an abrasive guitar-driven sound, and is always underpinned by Smith's vocals and often cryptic lyrics, described by critic Steve Huey as "abstract poetry filled with complicated wordplay, bone-dry wit, cutting social observations, and general misanthropy (sometimes more implied than clearly stated, but apparent nonetheless)."[1]

The group's output is prolific—as of July 2010 they have released 28 studio albums, and more than triple that counting live albums and other releases. They have never achieved widespread public success beyond a handful of minor hit singles in the late 1980s, but have maintained a strong cult following. The band were long associated with BBC disc jockey John Peel, who championed them from early on in their career and cited The Fall as his favourite band, famously explaining, "They are always different, they are always the same.

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Sundown was the debut album by Los Angeles cowpunk band Rank and File, released in 1982 on Slash Records. Critic Robert Christgau gave it an "A-" in his Consumer Guide,[1] while Trouser Press called the album "effortlessly enjoyable," citing its "tuneful and tasty pop numbers, which also benefit from pretty harmonies and confident playing."[2] It was voted one of the best albums of the year in the Village Voice's influential Pazz & Jop critics poll.[3]

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Adrian Belew (born Robert Steven Belew, December 23, 1949, in Covington, Kentucky) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is perhaps best known for his work as a member of the progressive rock group King Crimson (which he has fronted since 1981) and for his unusual impressionistic approach to guitar playing (involving arresting yet frequently melodic sounds more akin to animals and machines than to standard instrumental tones).

Widely recognized as an "incredibly versatile player,[1] Belew has released nearly twenty solo albums for Island Records and Atlantic Records which blend Beatles-inspired pop-rock with more experimental fare. His 2005 single "Beat Box Guitar" was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock Instrumental Performance category. In addition to being a member of King Crimson, he is also in the more straightforward pop band The Bears and fronted his own band, Gaga, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He has worked extensively as a session and touring musician, most famously with Talking Heads, David Bowie, Caifanes, Frank Zappa, and Nine Inch Nails.

Belew has recently moved into instrument design, collaborating with Parker Guitars to help design his own Parker Fly signature guitar. This guitar is noticebly different from the standard design, containing advanced electronics such as a sustainer pickup and a Line 6 Variax guitar modelling system. It is also MIDI capable, allowing it to be used with any synthesizer with MIDI connectivity.

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Renaldo and the Loaf was an English musical duo active in the late seventies and most of the eighties, consisting of a pathologist (David Janssen or "Ted The Loaf") and an architect (Brian Poole or "Renaldo Malpractice", most often simply "Renaldo M").

By their own assertion, they achieved their unique sound in part by striving to get unnatural synthesizer-like sounds using only what instruments they had available (acoustic ones). To that end they routinely used muffled and de-tuned instruments, and often to striking effect, tape loops / manipulation. The two released four full length albums, one collection, various songs on compilation albums, and several self-produced demos. They were "discovered" by The Residents when Brian dropped off a tape at Ralph Records headquarters in San Francisco, during a visit to the U.S. After being signed to Ralph, they collaborated with The Residents on Title in Limbo.

The first Renaldo and the Loaf album, Songs for Swinging Larvae, was released in 1981 on Ralph Records.

By 1989, the collaboration had lost its steam, and the duo disbanded after recording a sea shanty, "Haul on the Bowline," which appeared only on a Ralph various artists release. Brian/Renaldo contributed to sporadic recordings in the 1990s. In 2006 upon the launch of the new Renaldo & the Loaf web site, the duo were reunited for the first time in the better part of two decades.

Director Graham Whifler produced a short film in 1980, Songs for Swinging Larvae, from the album of the same name. The film concerns a kidnapped child and raises questions of home and human relationship. The film has since been banned from television and film festivals due to its controversial nature. "Larvae" was premiered at an art museum. It was included first in the Residents' 5 Minute Movies video collection, and later on the comprehensive Icky Flix DVD

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The Residents is an American avant-garde music and visual arts group who have been active since 1969. Their first official release under the name of "The Residents" was in 1972, and since then the band has gone on to release over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects, ten DVDs, and have undertaken seven major world tours. Throughout the group's existence, the individual members have ostensibly attempted to conceal their identities from the public, and much public speculation and rumor has focused on this aspect of the group. In public, the group appears silent and costumed, often wearing eyeball helmets, top hats and tuxedos - a long-lasting costume now recognized as their signature iconography. Their albums are often complex conceptual pieces, composed around a theme, theory or plot, and are noted for surrealistic lyrics and disregard for standard Western pop music composition.

Despite polarizing critical opinion and mostly eluding mainstream recognition, the Residents have maintained a dedicated fan following throughout the length of their career, and have remained active throughout. Notable fans include Simpsons creator Matt Groening, comedian Penn Jillette, and musicians such as Primus, The KLF, They Might Be Giants, Animal Collective, Mr. Bungle, Burial, TISM, and ism.

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The Plimsouls are an American rock band formed in Paramount, California in 1978.

Formed by singer, guitarist and songwriter Peter Case (who had previously fronted power pop band The Nerves), the Plimsouls began as a trio in 1978 which included Case, bassist David Pahoa and drummer Lou Ramirez. From inception, the band quickly became a crowd favorite in the Los Angeles club scene. Long Beach promoter Stephen Zepeda signed the group to his Beat Records label for a five-song EP called Zero Hour. Guitarist Eddie Munoz joined the group during the recording of the ep.


Danny Holloway produced the Zero Hour EP and managed the group. The song, "Zero Hour," received heavy airplay on KROQ, and the Plimsouls grew to be one of the top club draws in the city. Case received critical praise for his songwriting. In 1981, Planet Records (with distribution through Elektra) signed the group and released their self-titled debut album which Holloway also produced. A single, "Now", received strong local airplay in LA.

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Kid Creole and the Coconuts is an American musical group created and led by August Darnell. Their music incorporates a variety of styles and influences, in particular "American and Latin American, South American, Caribbean, Trinidadian, Calloway"[1] and conceptually inspired by the big band era. The Coconuts are a glamorous trio of female backing vocalists whose lineup has changed throughout the years.

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Hunters & Collectors were an Australian rock music band formed in Melbourne in 1981,[1] fronted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Seymour, they developed a blend of pub rock and art-funk.[1] Other mainstays were John Archer on bass guitar, Doug Falconer on drums and percussion, Jack Howard on trumpet and keyboards, Jeremy Smith on French horn, guitars and keyboards, and Michael Waters on trombone and keyboards.[2] Also acknowledged as a mainstay member was engineer and art designer Robert Miles.[1][2] Joining in 1988, Barry Palmer, on lead guitar,[2] remained until they disbanded in 1998.[1] Their hit singles were "Throw Your Arms Around Me", "Talking to a Stranger", "Imaginary Girl", "Holy Grail", "True Tears of Joy" and "Say Goodbye",[1] and they became one of the best live acts in Australia.[1][3]

Originally Hunters and Collectors were influenced by the Krautrock genre and the productions of Conny Plank, featuring strong percussive influences, noisy guitar, and driving bass lines.[1] The sound was in the vein of Remain in Light, the Talking Heads album of 1980. The band's name is from "Hunters and Collectors", a track by German group Can, on the 1975 album Landed.[1] Hunters & Collectors utilised Plank to produce two of their early albums, The Fireman's Curse and The Jaws of Life,[2][3] but neither charted into the Top 50 of the Australian albums chart on the Kent Music Report.[4] Their Top 10 albums started with Human Frailty in 1986,[4] which first featured their distinctive logo, a H & C symbol, where the "&" was twin snakes entwined around a hunting knife, a variation of the Caduceus. Other Top 10 studio albums were Ghost Nation in 1989, Cut in 1992 and Demon Flower in 1994

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